With the United States’ recent losses against Mexico and Costa Rica, outrage has boiled over and people have begun to call for Jurgen Klinsmann’s resignation or flat out dismissal. The problem, however, is that Klinsmann is not THE main problem. The real problem lies much deeper than one man, much deeper than the surface of what the normal observer sees, and certainly much deeper than what the average MLS writer cares to look for. The real problem is that we are not good enough.

Before we proceed, let’s understand a couple things. By saying that Klinsmann is not the main problem, this does not absolve him of all faults. Klinsmann isn’t perfect, and his dual-role as Technical Director and Head Coach is a difficult one where I believe he may be best suited as a technical director rather than a head coach. Saying that we aren’t good enough is not unpatriotic or being a “eurosnob.” Rather, it’s admitting that we are not MAXIMIZING our potential on the youth and professional side. We aren’t good enough YET, and the reason behind that is that we aren’t maximizing our potential for youth and professional development. On the youth side, we have a nation that is fragmented by the organizations it can join. Whether its US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, AYSO, there is an organization out there that will cater to what you want. A clear, unified initiative for youth development is severely lacking where many organizations cater towards profit maximization compared to maximizing development. With US Soccer’s recent initiatives towards smaller numbers, field sizes, age placements for teams, some initiatives are being rolled out but it is still an uphill battle when the battle cry from angry parents continues to be that “we will take our kid somewhere else then.”Talent is consistently falling through the cracks in a nation that is gripped by pay to play and $700 uniforms. The Academy format, both with ECNL and the USSDA, on the women’s and men’s side continue to charge exorbitant amounts of money for their product which in turn sees both programs cater to a very specific subset of American children. Some programs luckily subsidize their costs for all players, but when you see MLS teams who are still charging thousands of dollars for players to join their academy or pre-academy, you have to wonder who we’re disenfranchising from the system.

Players are being disregarded from elite-level youth soccer because of the quality of their checkbook rather than the quality of their first touch. What happens at the youth level dictates what happens at the professional and national team level, it isn’t complicated. We are a nation of more than 300 million people, a nation where soccer is the most popular sport amongst our youngest age groups, and yet we fail to maximize our development potential. We have produced some good players in the past and continue to produce some good players here and there, but this stems more due to numbers and odds rather than a comprehensive system for development. At the youth level, we are not maximizing our potential for youth development and this has caused huge problems both for our domestic league and our national team. The professional side may be even worse. Klinsmann has caught the ire of Don Garber and pretty much anyone who is paid by MLS due to his comments that we want our players to play at higher levels, i.e. top European leagues, compared to MLS. Most argue, scream, and throw a tantrum accusing Klinsmann of hurting the game domestically, but fail to see that our own domestic league continues to hurt the game more than we can imagine. We have a system in place where you have to BUY your way in to Major League Soccer for the price of $100 million or more. When LAFC was beginning to form, it was alleged that more than 5 separate investment groups had the capacity to pay that $100 Million franchise fee, but what happens? 1 group is chosen, and it begs the question of what happens to the other groups who are ready to invest that kind of money in soccer in the United States? We have a system in the United States where we are comfortable with a monopoly on what we consider 1st Division within our professional leagues and refuse access to other teams unless they have a lot of cash (see $100 million or more). Open access creates real competition and drives innovation, forcing teams to compete differently based on their financial means and resources. A closed system allows teams to continue getting draft picks or having players thrown at them by the league for manufactured parity. We are a league that loves parity, but forget that parity breeds mediocrity. Why in the world are we surprised then when that mediocrity spreads to the national team. We have a system in place in which we over-spend for players due to their marketability. The top ten earners in MLS account for 35.5% of the entire LEAGUE payroll. Kaka currently earns $7.1 million dollars with Orlando City. His teammate, Luke Boden, earns $75,000. That’s almost 100X less. Let that sink in. No one is arguing that Kaka shouldn’t earn more than Luke Boden, but we are beginning to enter into a crisis in which a wage bubble is occurring that will inevitably break the system. MLS, often arguing that it isn’t the NASL of old, has a wage bill which tells a different story. Instead of paying $7.1 million dollars for one player, imagine if the league decided on paying $700,000 for ten players who are of better quality than the majority of MLS. Ten great, but old, players don’t help improve a league as much as 50 good, younger players. One helps ticket sales, the other helps improve the quality of the competition on a more comprehensive level

This comes to one of the last problems (for the article, but inevitably the problems don’t end hear). Klinsmann has come under fire for suggesting our players play at a higher level compared to our domestic league. Here’s the breakdown of where each starting 11 plays at club level. USA: MLS: 8, Premier League: 2, Bundesliga: 1 Mexico: Liga MX: 3, Portuguese Primeira Liga: 2, Dutch Eridivisie: 2, La Liga: 1, Serie A: 1, Bundesliga: 1, Premier League: 1. This season’s first week of Champions League play saw 7 Mexican National Team players compete. How many for the United States National Team? 0. How can there be an argument that our players are better suited by receiving huge paychecks to compete in a league that won’t maximize their own development? How can people yell at Klinsmann for asking players to try and compete at higher levels to help their own growth as a player which in turn helps the ability of the national team? This article has gone in ten different directions because there are ten different problems facing the US National Team, and almost all of them are deeper than just surface level. It is EASY to just say it’s Klinsmann’s fault and assume that all these problems go away once a new manager comes in. It’s easy, but also extremely foolish. We have eaten up a narrative that Klinsmann is bad, anyone that raises points against MLS is bad, and anyone that argues that US Soccer isn’t in an ideal position is bad. Let’s try and have a more balanced approach, and appreciate that while Klinsmann may not be best suited for his position as head coach, he isn’t the main problem. - Paul CammarataContinue the Discussion!

Great, great article Paul! www.goals4glory.com and the rebounding walls Goals For Glory is building will change the face of soccer in the USA, and allow every kid to chase greatness, regardless of their parents financial situation. We need to focus on playing pretty, not looking pretty!

And then the infrastructure. It is sad and ridiculous beyond comprenhension than after paying $$$$ for the opportunity to be part of a club the teams have to practice/train in 1/8 of a field along with some other 10 teams on the same field and in many cases very bad fields or grass patches and gopher holes.

Reply

Kofi O.

10/15/2015 12:27:28 am

I love the mention of paying to play on 1/8 of a field. I see this occur daily.

So how does this get changed in the shortest amount of time? Parents, who exclusively fund club field expenses, have to threaten to stop paying for mediocre returns on our investment at every club at the same time. Impossible!

In the current system, our US born and bred players will never be developed by these youth clubs to the level of technicality required to be selected by the division PL or 2. Bundesliga. Go ahead and name the 10-20 exceptions. It's not in the club's best interest to waste time on real development. US youth clubs get paid no matter the outcome of where their players finish their soccer careers.

Find a great trainer for your kids and stick with them, independent of the wins and losses earned by the club team.

Billy

10/16/2015 02:53:50 am

I don't follow soccer that closely. But just reading this article, and reading the problems starting at the youth level, it might be useful to look at the USA Hockey model of youth development. In the past 15 years they have put almost twice as many players on the professional stage. in 2003 the US had 14% of the NHL players. Today we are up to 26%.

That is a direct correlation with a shift in USA hockey philosophy and a focus on player development starting all the way down at the beginner level. I know these sports are drastically different and you cannot apply all aspects of the approach to soccer, but it is worth it for US Soccer to look at the approach and ask themselves how can they take some of the philosophies and apply them to their sport.

Jurgen Klinsmann is not the main problem, yet he is part of the problem. Your analysis has 1 major focus point that screams the business side of MLS <--- THAT is 90% of the problem with US Football. Wonderfully stated. Very well presented and on the spot, therefore will only comment on what the original purpose/topic/theme of your blog was which is JK. Simplicity is best and maintaining a focus on the solution, not the problem. Old school footballer mentality states 2 main points in football: 1. The chosen 11 on the pitch are responsible for every win and 2. The Gaffer is responsible for every loss. It doesn't get any simpler than that. Before MLS where was the recruiting coming from? - EXACTLY! Football is the beautiful game because it is inexpensive to play - the USA version is not the real version and you stated that quite beautifully. 300 million people in the USA and only a select few can have access to the USA's version of Country Club Football? The recruiting of a chosen 11 to put on a pitch and compete representing the United States of America is not limited to prospects playing (or should be playing only in MLS, EPL, La Liga, Liga BBVA or any foreign professional league - there a numerous leagues in the USA that harbor quality talent, hustling, passionate, dedicated, hard working footballers yet the focus nowadays is MLS and foreign playing prospects - that is a BIG opportunity to overcome, specially when the Gaffer does not even consider his employer's main factory because he doesn't consider the product good enough. We had quality footballers before and we have them out there still, but not currently in the country club foreign select team that JK has established. Notice "talent" was not mentioned because talent alone does not win championships - UNDICI wins championships. Here in the USA the closest thing we have to what professional football should be is baseball. The scouting of quality footballers in all organized football venues across this country is imperative to the continued progress of the beautiful game in the USA. JK and the US Soccer Federation have been approaching the beautiful game as a problem, with blinders, and not looking at the solution. The American way of doing business is not the way for football in America. There's a reason why football is the world's game, not just America's game. America will triumph in football if only it applies the American way of playing: work hard, hustle, believe, respect and give everyone an opportunity to be part of the select 11. If JK continues ignoring quality prospects not just in MLS, but in NASL, USL, PDL, NPSL, PCSL and amateur leagues and US Soccer Federation continues embracing MLS business mentality - no relegation, no limits on foreign players, no schedule synchronization with the rest of the world football professional leagues, country club select few money talks mentality, the USA will continue its recession to mediocrity in national football play.

Reply

Kofi Obafemi

10/14/2015 11:41:28 pm

I thank you for the amount of thought you obviously put into your reply. It's a very thorough analysis of our men's national program. Where i disagree is with your finger pointing at JK for HIS player selection.

"If JK continues ignoring quality prospects...", you wrote.

As USMNT manager, JK is not in a position to revolutionize the current broken system of youth development in the US. He has made recommedations and a few unique choices with the German Americans joinibg the team, but it will take nothing short of a revolution to correct the problem of national team player selection, where so called "player development" originates, comes from exclusive pay for play clubs. How can JK tell a very profitable youth club system to seek their profit elsewhere when the current system is working perfectly to send their kids to college and by that boat?

Youth clubs need corporate sponsorship so that theres the opportunity for the best players to be identified younger, not the most wealthy.

Reply

Kofi Obafemi

10/14/2015 11:52:07 pm

On my phone while on the bus crafting this reply. Pardon the typos. I mean well.

Probably the most accurate and thoughtful article to date regarding the state of US Soccer and the USMNT.

Would love to have you on our podcast. Find us on Twitter or FB... (at)CleanSheetsPod

Reply

Peter

10/14/2015 10:53:32 am

The irony of this tripe... is that we weren't beat by European based players. We were beat by Peralta (age 29) and Aguilar (age 31)... Domestic Liga MX based players for Mexico. Players who have been around and dominated by US Squads for years. We went 10-2-2 for 9 years in the 2000s under Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley. Suddenly now we "aren't good enough" to beat Peralta and Aguilar... really?

No, we had been good enough, better than good enough, we'd been dominant over Mexico. Sadly, we stopped having coaches who trusted American players, believed in MLS and what it was doing, and putting American players in the best positions to be able to go out and win matches.

Klinsmann is exactly the problem.

Klinsmann doesn't mis-use Bradley as a #10 because the US doesn't have other creative midfielders. We do. Lee Nguyen, Mix Diskerud, Benny Fielhaber, Clint Dempsey, Chris Rolfe, etc. Klinsmann just continues to try and force the notion that Bradley is a #10. Instead of taking one of the better #10s in MLS, Klinsmann takes one of the average #6's in MLS and convert him into a #10. You can't fault the US Player Pool and MLS for Klinsmann doing that.

Jermaine Jones on the flank?!?!? That was a 4-4-2 the other day, with Kyle Beckerman of the 15th out of 20 placed teams in MLS covering the #6 spot, and slow as he always has been, when Jones should've been. Instead of getting offensive production from our right flank, we had Jermaine Jones, the prototypical destroyer on our flank. There were 4 Defensive Midfielders for their club teams on the field that day. Jeff Cameron is a #6 for Stoke, Michael Bradley is a #6 for Toronto, Jermaine Jones is a #6 for New England, and Kyle Beckerman is a #6 for Real Salt Lake. No wonder we couldn't get anything created offensively, we didn't have enough offensive players on the field. He sent a timid defensive line-up into action, and a standard defensive 4-4-2 diamond with 3 defensive midfielders in it. That's why you end up with 34% possession. That's not because the player pool wasn't good enough. That's because Klinsmann's tactics weren't good enough.

How is it the Besler Cameron combination was used as our "best" center back combination, not Omar Gonzalez, Chad Marshall, Bobby Boswell, Drew Moor, etc. We've got far better defensive players who play for stingier defenses perennially in MLS, that also provide height and score off corners. Why are none of them ever brought into camp? Is that our player pool's deficiency, or our head coaches deficiency in being able to draw the best out of the player pool?

The major fault lies in image.

Of those players you named, Dempsey, Altidore, Jones, Bradley, etc. may count under the "MLS" label, but each has played the greater majority of their careers overseas in Europe, and fairly effectively. To say they didn't have the talent to make it in Europe is ridiculous. They made the conscious decision that they'd rather come back to MLS and get playing time near their own country and help build up their own domestic league and make it big for Americans to inspire them to play. That's not a bad thing.

What's a bad thing is a coach who plays them all out of position, and continues to call them in despite players who can play better in those roles, or moves them to positions they're not suited to in order to account for other players.

Did Klinsmann ever use a 4-2-3-1 with Jones as #6, Bradley as #8, Donovan/Dempsey in the #10 spot, Altidore up top as the #9, and add another speedy attacking wing forward, not wing back to the mix? Has he not replaced Donovan in that mix with Mix Diskerud, Lee Nguyen. Has he given Benny Fielhaber the deserved chance to take over as the #8 with his deep-seeded playmaking abilities?

For all the talk of competition for spots, Klinsmann keep rolling out the failed 4-4-2 diamond with too many defensive midfielders. He keeps calling a 4-5-1 with no true striker an attacking 4-3-3.

Where were all these attacking flank players we supposedly have? Agudelo, Bunbury, Rolfe, Finlay, Kljestan, etc. What about those ones that are playing and competing in those overseas leagues? Alejandro Bedoya? Alfredo Morales? Nope, he went with Jermaine Jones as a Right Mid. At left mid he opted for a guy who was gangbusters as a striker last year, but has been mediocre and hitting a 2nd year slump at LA this year, in Gyasi Zardes. Oddly enough, we lacked offensive production in this match, with only 3 offensive/attacking players on the pitch. Somehow that's the player pool's fault, and not Klinsmann?

It's not that our player pool doesn't have the talent, it's that our head coach doesn't know how to recognize it, and what to do with it.

Sure, there is room to advance as a nation and develop better players. But, we got better players, and coaches who have gotten more out of the current crop of players than what Klinsmann gets out of them.

What is the style of the team? How do we play? Who will play

Reply

Paulo

10/14/2015 12:56:49 pm

Peter , do you know wow many American soccer fans know what a #6 position really is .
Unfortunately the answer is NO .
I agree with you , and yes a creative mid fielder #10 is needed, also a striker that checks to the ball .
Brasil is having the same issue , Dunga starts 2 #6 and 1 #8 on a 4x3x3 formation .
The reason it's the same , No good strikers or creative mid fielder's .
So they just choose to conter attack .
It's a same

Reply

Alfredo

10/14/2015 01:00:31 pm

Great article, hit it right where it hurts. It doesn't matter at what level you play to compete against your own level you have to have the players to compete. Right now we are not developing the players to compete at the world class level. This time was Mexico, then Costa Rica who's next. Klinsman has the right idea but it's going to take some time and here we are used to have immediate results

Reply

larry gilmore

10/14/2015 01:04:20 pm

VERY WELL put. Spot on.

Reply

larrygilmore

10/14/2015 01:05:45 pm

And I mean towards Peter's comments.

Tony

10/14/2015 04:28:08 pm

I agree with Peter. Seeing Tab Ramos involved saddens me

Reply

clayton

10/16/2015 05:41:54 am

Bravo Peter. I think you fleshed out 1 of the 10 problems, which appear to be within the immediate control of the US soccer establishment, unlike the more systemic problems 2 thru 10.

I tend to agree that there are larger structural problems with MLS and the youth soccer landscape. But I have serious doubts about the notion that suddenly our players are worse than previous generations. We should still see some progress, even if minor, if only because more Americans are playing soccer than ever. But where is that progress? It has not been on display with the USMNT recently. And it is very hard to overlook JK's selection because (1) the results have been so poor, (2) the play itself has been even more poor, and (3) JK's past rhetoric does not seem to be how he's actually operating.

For example, JK made a big stink about the poor quality of the MLS and the need for players to be playing in Europe if they wanted to be a part of the USMNT scene. And what's happened: Altidore, Bradley, Dempsey, Mix, and Jones all came home and joined MLS. If JK meant want he said, why does he continue to play these MLS stars who aren't playing competive European soccer? That's just one example, but there are others where JK's words do not match he actions.

Having said this, I do not think a firing is in order... yet. But but if he ever trots out a similar line-up to what he tried against Mexico, he should be fired during halftime, on national tv.

And to speak to the #10 issue, I have a big problem with JK on this generally. Yes, all the #6s are not players capable of playing the #10 role. Yes, there are existing US players capable of playing the #10 role (at least better than these #6s). But, the problem I have is that JK actually have gave out the #10 jersey to Mix Diskerud AND that was a BIG BIG mistake for a variety of reasons, most noticeable because he's almost never fielded in important games. In other words, we have a someone who is not playing and who had not really earned the #10 shirt. It was like JK wanted to erase Landon Donovan from the US soccer memory so bad he was willing to just give the shirt to any young'in with high potential.

I would actually like to see someone make the case the JK is a good coach. I haven't seen that done with much conviction. It mostly just, "yeah, but here are these other excuses" that get JK off the hook for suboptimal results.

Reply

Albert

10/17/2015 03:01:04 pm

Excellent article..
I don't understand why people don't agree.
The MLS is a mediocre league even to Liga MX standards, and having the remaining top US players going back to the MLS is terrible for the USMNT (lets keep the GKs on a separate list).
How can you claim that the US has been dominant over Mexico when all of the games are played on US soil.., and the US has NEVER beaten Mexico on an official match in Mexico (only once ever in a friendly).
On the other hand, MLS teams have been outscored by Liga MX teams 83-163 in 82 Champions League matches since 2002, only winning 16 games (only 2 away), and losing 47 games out of 82.
Mexico has also obtained World Titles at the U17 level twice and once at the Olympics (U-22) and the U.S. continues to struggle on these youth categories.
The first thing to change things is first accepting they as they are, and not dreaming that the US is or was superior to Mexico, only because almost all the USMNT games are played in U.S. soil.
So much needs to be done to promote youth talent into competitive levels and to improve the quality of the MLS (synchronize the MLS calendar with World Football's calendars for God's sake)

Reply

RUI CORREIA

10/14/2015 12:56:38 pm

THE US DOES NOT EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS IN SCOUTING IT LITERALLY IS RIGHT NOW ..SOMEONE IN GERMANY SCOUTING PLAYERS AND NOTHING ELSE THAT IS TO SAY I PERSONALLY HAVE PLAYED WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS AN AMATEUR AN EXCEPTIONAL TALENT WITH BETTER VISION TACTICAL AWARENESSS AND TECHNICALLY BETTER THAN ANYONE IN THE US TEAM WITH MAYBE DONOVAN ON A GOOD DAY BEING EQUAL TO WHAT THIS GUY COULD DO YET WE OR US SOCCER DOES NOT GO LOOKING FOR PLAYERS OR TALENT IN LOWER LEAGUES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CONNECTED ...THIS US TEAM HAS NO CREATIVITY NO INSTINCT AND THEREFOR CANNOT THREATEN OFFENSIVELY OR FLOURISH IN MEANINGFUL MATCHES.....

Reply

Mpoko

10/20/2015 04:21:19 pm

Agree, no creativity

Reply

aldo tripicchio

10/14/2015 01:13:13 pm

Great article but here is one more important point.
The academies are not only expensive and for the elite, they STIFLE players' creativity. Too much emphasis is placed on winning and not enough on developing individual skills, on letting players try the great individual play, on allowing them to do a "rabona", on allowing them to express themselves, on creating and not just destroying or taking the easy solution!!! The Maradona's, the Baggio's, the DelPiero's the Messi developed their fantastic skills and inventiveness on playgrounds, not in organized leagues. They didn't even play organized ball until they were in their early teens. We put 7 to 11 year old children in Academies where all they are taught is play one touch and two touch and if a kid makes a mistake trying to make a play, they are taken out of the game and yelled at...I officiate and witness this all the time.
When academies didn't exist, we produced Tab Ramos, Claudio Reyna, John Harkes, Meola, Donovan, Beasley etc. Who have we produced in the last 10 years??? No one!!!

Reply

Richard

10/15/2015 03:03:02 am

This is true of almost all club teams, not just academies. I have coached against so many "professional" coaches that are out to win and feed their own ego at the expense of player development that it sickens me.

Reply

Joe

10/15/2015 09:37:57 am

The other major problem with travel/club soccer here is yes it is For Profit and a Business. It has become Big Business because they are able to see their product to an uneducated consumer (Parents). I coached for a travel club and left as I am a developmental coach who believes you learn just as much from a loss as you do from a win and that a child learns nothing sitting on the bench for every game. These clubs lie about or over hype their coaches credentials, convince parents that if little johnny ever wants a scholarship he needs to be with them and lie about their contacts but none of the parents ever check anything out. They are thrilled with a "pretty" uniform and a coach that can put 11 runners out at a weekend tournament and out last the other teams. The better soccer players don't win as much as the fitter team wins in these formats. I am sickened by what I see.

Joe

10/14/2015 01:43:24 pm

Wow more excuses for a crap coach! Is this a joke article? Sure blame our domestic league and it's an easy way out. More internet coaches who think they know something when in realtity they are just keyboard experts. Good luck doing nothing.

Reply

Tyler

10/14/2015 03:43:17 pm

All good points! Have nothing to do with the fact that Klinsman can't handle a group of 23 much less 11. Maybe focus is the issue.

Reply

Roger

10/14/2015 03:58:48 pm

So lets setup a network to scout players like in other countries , fine- who is going to pay for them?
Lets make club soccer affordable for everyone to play , fine , who is going to pay the coaches (~$1,000-$1,500 a team, $fields, $uniforms) so who is going to pay for that or who is going to subsidize to lower the cost ?
Who is going to build (pay) the MLS stadiums? Who is going to pay for the advertising ?
Where does all this money come from , Budweiser (insert any beer here) is NOT interested , not with football , baseball, nascar around?

As an organisation, we are bringing an element of unbiased, reliable support to the sub-elite and development pool to filter out talent from cash.

Our range of soccer (and other code) specific protocols look closely at a players abilities and can be forged into a talent identification or development strategy at any college or club. We only see the facts and all players are on the same field.

Unlike normal combines in the US, our data is captured using the latest equipment in controlled environments that match those in Australia, England, China...you choose. This way every player is identically compared.

We don't say this forms complete identification of talent however I can assure you it takes care of a significant amount of emotion and opinion.

See more at www.globalperformancetesting.com and we are heading into the US from 2016 so any takers, contact us directly.

Reply

Pete

10/14/2015 07:54:49 pm

As you can see some are still nit willing to see it for what it is worth. Those few must be the ones that can afford to dish out the money for their kids to play. That is the same attitude that keeps the US more than a few steps behind, not just one or two. It is easier to notice on the men's side, time will have it catch up on the women's.

Reply

Tommy

10/15/2015 01:59:50 am

I couldn't agree more. Having said that, knowing the the pay to play format is not going away anytime soon, how can we bridge the problems within the culture we are a part of?

Reply

Michael

10/15/2015 02:03:33 am

Quite the rant! I happen to think that a US Soccer monopoly (or any other group) in the youth participation programs would be the absolute worst thing that could ever happen to youth development, and that seems to be one of the author's main points.

Immediately after advocating for a monopoly in youth, he immediately states that he is against a monopoly in the Pro game because it stifles development? As Ace Ventura would say, "Alrighty then!"

Reply

Martin

10/15/2015 02:48:28 am

Excellent dialog!

I see over and again that our MRL and ECNL programs are for the privileged. Until that changes, too many great young footballers will never get a chance. Real competition is kept at bay.

Reply

Jeff

10/15/2015 01:43:09 pm

Your ECNL comments are misleading as it can cost more but also get more by training an playing against the best talent available and if a player is outside ECNL program the. Thy can play for free as a development player. Numbers don't lie. 85% of USWNT and 90% of NCAA power 5 conferences are ECNL alum.any Ecnl programs also offer scholarship spots for players who have the talent and the financial need. Don't just label ECNL as "too expensive" and you get what you pay for. This article is true that too many misguided parents and "coaching directors" can't get out of their own way to actually focus on the development of a player.

Reply

Martin

10/16/2015 04:50:43 am

Good Points Jeff! ECNL is not the problem, I think we are violently agreeing that the overall ecosystem that culminates into an "ECNL" type program is terribly flawed.

DJ

10/15/2015 02:55:30 am

<I>We have a system in place where you have to BUY your way in to Major League Soccer for the price of $100 million or more. When LAFC was beginning to form, it was alleged that more than 5 separate investment groups had the capacity to pay that $100 Million franchise fee, but what happens? 1 group is chosen, and it begs the question of what happens to the other groups who are ready to invest that kind of money in soccer in the United States?</I>

To be precise, those groups were willing to invest $100 million to get an MLS team in Los Angeles. If you think they, or anyone else, is willing to invest that much for an MLS team in Sacramento, St. Louis, or San Antonio, things are much much better for soccer than we imagine.

Reply

Jimmy Galvan

10/15/2015 04:44:04 am

This is a well put article and as "semi-professional" level player and the struggle i had with my development. I want to weigh in on something in particular. High School soccer. The issue i have is not that soccer exists at that level. Its the poor idea and development players get at that level, yes there are good programs, yes some players stand out but most of them fail. The level, sadly is just sometimes not there. With out some changes at that level and some how connecting them more to clubs, academies, MLS, and college, these players will struggle to grow and get proper training.

The success i have had playing could be much better if my high school provided coaches with a better idea and adaptability to changes the game has gone through. Another thing, i did not find out about ODP until our banquet. My parents could not afford me playing club, not an excuse but until the high school standard isn't raised to the club level or better, the player development in the states will be stuck in an area where only the ones with the most money will make it out.

Reply

Tony Gravato

10/16/2015 01:03:22 am

If your parents couldn't afford club, then trust me they wouldn't able to afford ODP. ODP is another money grab.

Reply

AJ

10/15/2015 04:51:35 am

The article misses the youth system completely. The problem lies with US Soccer and not willing to give the youth clubs funds back for developing pros. Once that happens the pay to play will start to go down or be eliminated. There is pay to play overseas :)

The rest is on point

Reply

Roger

10/15/2015 07:09:13 am

Until someone or an organization is willing to pay for all the training that a player needs it wont matter how many articles are written about soccer in the US. So can any of you solve that problem then we can talk about how to develop a player and the structure of soccer in the US. These articles come out and everyone jumps on the bandwagon but NO ONE is putting up their dollars to support the top 1% and since the majority of players in the US are recreational how will you raise that money! I tell you what , since some of you are coaches, do not charge to train teams and give your time to your community and to the sport that will be a great first step.

Reply

Carlos

10/15/2015 09:03:37 am

Roger I have done just that volunteer my time to give the kids that cant afford it an opportunity to pay at a higher level, and after a very successful run ( twice winning state cup in northern cal), I was removed by my club( because they had another coach that was more in line with the new way of doing business, he was more versed in the pay for play way)long history short I resigned and some of the players left with me, and now even after 3 years that we left we are still not allowed to practice in our own city were i pay property taxes, the bigger clubs in the usa have a monopoly over the players and the practice fields, you can't really go independent an create a soccer program for disadvantaged kids, they wouldn't let you, and the national organizations, like us club soccer will always side with the bigger clubs no matter what, in our case i as a coach and all of the players were " unofficially" banned from us club soccer, so much for the freedom to choose in America

Reply

Roger

10/15/2015 12:18:30 pm

Im sorry that your club "removed" you i find it odd after two state cup wins (i assume the top level) im also positive there is more to the story but that is another convo. From what i know of US CLUB they always side with players never with clubs so i find it hard to believe they got "banned". Alias, a different convo. You are only one coach, we need 1000s of you to coach for free. If you started a new club you would still need 10 coaches just like you that are willing to do it for free and are good like yourself.

Avery

10/15/2015 10:06:51 am

Spot on. Currently you can't get to the MLS unless you are drafted or foreign. You can't get drafted unless you play division 1 and rarely division 2 soccer. You can't get to a division 1 team unless you pay to play for one of the better club teams. Our system fails to look outside of club soccer. We are lazy and don't find players to build. Parents with no athletic background or players from small towns usually don't know the game you have to play to be seen by college coaches. 300 million people, some of the most athletic people in the world and yet we struggle to find a starting 11 who strike fear in anyone.

Reply

Ian

10/15/2015 02:11:27 pm

Agree 100%. I ref 10-15 games a week at various levels (youth, club, academy, high school, college, etc.). Some of the talent I see is scary good, yet they go unnoticed. AS with anything, once politics and money get involved, all else goes to shit.

Reply

Ian

10/15/2015 02:24:02 pm

Domestic leagues aren't made for national teams. They're there to make a profit. You think Jose Murinho or Louise Van Gaal give a damn about England national team? Same with the MLS. It's time the national federations realize that domestic leagues aren't their partners. Their their enemies, and design a program for their own benefit.

Corey its mi kid a came to florida in 87 and if you reed this article he represent the the old me reed please.

Reply

Lee Kestler

10/16/2015 04:12:25 am

Paul, This is spot on. Many of us will attest to have similar thoughts, but have not been able to collate and articulate as succinctly as you did in this posting. America is great for constructing ways to make gobs of money selling the dream. Too many factions, too much greed and not enough results. Well said and great job!

Reply

John L

10/16/2015 04:33:04 am

Great article. Agree with all points. So what is the solution?
To solve the US Soccer problems we need a US solution. I find it so disappointing that almost every solution I hear is an European one. So disappointing that a country like ours with out creativity, inovation, technology and resources can produce world class athletes, players in every other sport except soccer. We have a proven system in place that we use to produce world class players in American football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Track and Field, Softball, Womens Soccer, you name it. Yet we are trying to produce soccer players using an Europe system. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT AMERICAN & WILL NOT WORK HERE. WE NEED AN AMERICAN SOLUTION. We can copy everything from Europe and South America on the field , between the lines. But, WE NEED AN AMERICAN SYSTEM off the field.

Reply

Kofi O

10/16/2015 06:06:38 am

John, the system in place now IS uniquely AND exclusively American and everyone here is in agreeance that it is not working to develop and identify top talent in this country.

The future of professional soccer around the world is carried upon the backs of young 20 year olds who play year round, live and breath soccer, and are already in a professional environment. The MLS is plucking many of the American players from US colleges that are void of anything resembling a pro environment. Look at the length of the college season. By the time our kids are in college at 18, they are developmentally behind the rest of the world. Not sure how the university system can be good for US soccer players and the MLS when according to the BBC the USMNT had the oldest average starting 11 out of the 32 World Cup teams in (2014) Brazil.

Nothing wrong with emulating a system that works at producing the proven best players, and national teams then apply American knowhow to improve upon it.

Reply

Kofi O

10/16/2015 06:17:29 am

Correction:
Average age of USA starting 11 in the first group match was 29.5...the oldest.

Source:
www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28254123

John L

10/16/2015 11:44:04 am

The system is not American. The system of taking kids at 6 and putting them in Academy where they concentrate on a sport all day long, all their lives is European and other parts if the world. They use it for all sports, Gymnastics, tennis, Hockey, cricket, etc. Then they took it to 3rd world countries. When the rest of the world wanted to catch up to the US in basketball then didn't adopt our high school and college system of creating basketball players. They used their academy system. There is nothing specific to soccer about the Academy system.
The money that is being spent by sponsors and US Soccer at those clubs/academies if put into the USA system that is proven to produce world class players in other sports would result in better soccer players in the US.
There is alot wrong with soccer in the US and all of it can be attributed to us trying to do things in an in un-American way.
You mentioned the College System. It is good enough to produce world class, Basketball, Baseball, America Football, Track & field, golfers etc. Why not soccer?
Your last paragraph is exactly my point. A good way to succeed is to copy succes. But you have to be smart enough to know what or who to copy. Soccer needs to copy basketball, football, Baseball, Hockey , Track and field in the US.

adam sebastian sanchez

10/16/2015 05:53:14 am

I am Argentine,
there have been many issues with young extremely talented players
not seen in the usa ,my older son is a perfect example, but no matter what Klinsman is also at fault here; I will guarantee if they allow one of the top Argentine coaches to lead the national team
and let him change the system it will be a winning team! just look at chile, Paraguay, Peru and you can see how good they play now and a few months ago they literally sucked!

Reply

Carlos

10/17/2015 06:04:13 pm

Argentinians have been coaching South American teams for a long time (Libertadores) and I have not seen anything that could blow my mind.
Except Boca or River but they were mostly Argentinian players so it does not count.
To your point, Peru, Paraguai and Chile are playing well NOW for a countless number of reasons and not necessarily because the coach is from Argentina. They learned faster from Argentinians coaches mainly because of the language and some cultural aspects.

Plus Chile won Copa America because Brasil sucks right now and Argentina, with Messi and all, disappointed. But the finally got a team with a lot of talented players. Let's see how Chile will do in the next 5 years....

An Argentine (or Brazilian, or Pepe Guardiola, Mourinho, Pelé and Maradona altogether) coaching the US is a whole different thing and it won't solve anything. US has MAJOR foundation issues. HUGE. US is probably the only country in the whole world where soccer is more expensive than golf. The parents have to pay thousand of dollars so the kids can play the tournaments. So you basically see mostly white kids because Mexicans or Africans families can't afford it.

Reply

Amos Annan

10/17/2015 02:23:46 pm

I agree that the US is not good enough yet to dominate, but if there had been just one more goal by the US team against Mexico, few would be complaining now.

And the real problem in the US is "pay to play" youth programs, while in most countries there is NO youth program.... they just play soccer everyday.

Reply

Albert

10/17/2015 03:03:07 pm

Excellent article..
I don't understand why people don't agree.
The MLS is a mediocre league even to Liga MX standards, and having the remaining top US players going back to the MLS is terrible for the USMNT (lets keep the GKs on a separate list).
How can you claim that the US has been dominant over Mexico when all of the games are played on US soil.., and the US has NEVER beaten Mexico on an official match in Mexico (only once ever in a friendly).
On the other hand, MLS teams have been outscored by Liga MX teams 83-163 in 82 Champions League matches since 2002, only winning 16 games (only 2 away), and losing 47 games out of 82.
Mexico has also obtained World Titles at the U17 level twice and once at the Olympics (U-22) and the U.S. continues to struggle on these youth categories.
The first thing to change things is first accepting they as they are, and not dreaming that the US is or was superior to Mexico, only because almost all the USMNT games are played in U.S. soil.
So much needs to be done to promote youth talent into competitive levels and to improve the quality of the MLS (and lets synchronize the MLS calendar with World Football's calendars for God's sake)

Reply

Albert

10/17/2015 03:03:28 pm

Excellent article..
I don't understand why people don't agree.
The MLS is a mediocre league even to Liga MX standards, and having the remaining top US players going back to the MLS is terrible for the USMNT (lets keep the GKs on a separate list).
How can you claim that the US has been dominant over Mexico when all of the games are played on US soil.., and the US has NEVER beaten Mexico on an official match in Mexico (only once ever in a friendly).
On the other hand, MLS teams have been outscored by Liga MX teams 83-163 in 82 Champions League matches since 2002, only winning 16 games (only 2 away), and losing 47 games out of 82.
Mexico has also obtained World Titles at the U17 level twice and once at the Olympics (U-22) and the U.S. continues to struggle on these youth categories.
The first thing to change things is first accepting they as they are, and not dreaming that the US is or was superior to Mexico, only because almost all the USMNT games are played in U.S. soil.
So much needs to be done to promote youth talent into competitive levels and to improve the quality of the MLS (and lets synchronize the MLS calendar with World Football's calendars for God's sake)

Reply

Albert G.

10/17/2015 03:03:58 pm

Excellent article..
I don't understand why people don't agree.
The MLS is a mediocre league even to Liga MX standards, and having the remaining top US players going back to the MLS is terrible for the USMNT (lets keep the GKs on a separate list).
How can you claim that the US has been dominant over Mexico when all of the games are played on US soil.., and the US has NEVER beaten Mexico on an official match in Mexico (only once ever in a friendly).
On the other hand, MLS teams have been outscored by Liga MX teams 83-163 in 82 Champions League matches since 2002, only winning 16 games (only 2 away), and losing 47 games out of 82.
Mexico has also obtained World Titles at the U17 level twice and once at the Olympics (U-22) and the U.S. continues to struggle on these youth categories.
The first thing to change things is first accepting they as they are, and not dreaming that the US is or was superior to Mexico, only because almost all the USMNT games are played in U.S. soil.
So much needs to be done to promote youth talent into competitive levels and to improve the quality of the MLS (and lets synchronize the MLS calendar with World Football's calendars for God's sake)

Reply

Carlos

10/17/2015 05:25:22 pm

I recently moved to US from Brazil and one thing I noticed is that American kids are being coached by people from countries that has no tradition in soccer. Africans, Mexicans (yes sorry, I know Mexicans love soccer but they don't play a high level soccer), Central Americans, Bosnians....An analogy: An Indonesian coaching Basketball to Japanese kids.....I mean, what do you expect? Plus, today's soccer is booooooring. It's all about tik-taka, pass,pass,pass. No creativity.
On top of that, kids don't learn soccer ruler at early ages! No futsal courts for winter season....We use hockey courts...It's a mess.
It's time to get rid of soccer anf play FUTEBOL!

Reply

Albert

10/17/2015 06:48:55 pm

Wow...,so then lets only have Brazilian, Argentine, German and Italian coaches teaching American and Latino kids,
by the way, Mexican coaches have produced U17 and Olympic U-22 world champions which beat guess who.., yes Brazilian teams..., lets get realistic.., we need an American-Latino solution to U.S. Football because our kids are American and Latino.

While I know many excellent students of the game and great coaches in and from Brasil there are also many in and from other nations. It's the individual, not the country of origin, and what they bring to the game in understanding, experience and coaching that is important. Too often individuals coming to the United States try to impress parents by bragging they played for a name club, not disclosing they were simply club members as a youth and have little or no coaching qualifications or experience.

Yesterdays October 19's Johan Cruyfff article "Don't analyse the result but look at the play" lamented National Team results as he observed there are "Patterns everyone should stick to" and that "most of these aspects can be trained, even for average players".

Who's Responsible for a National Program?
When national soccer associations do not support and teach those principles (patterns) of play that enable their nations to be successful, "that can be trained", "even to average players", then mediocrity results. Johan's observed the "KNVB is most of all responsible for the Dutch missing out on Euro 2016".

In 1998 Germany did poorly in the World Cup, despite having a large percent of all the children in Germany playing and following soccer. From information published on the Internet they apparently:
- implemented a program to support physical education teachers in schools to encourage them to teach soccer fundamentals well and to encourage children to play,
- retained and trained 1,000 scouts to observe youth games and to ID the best potential players for development by developmental academies,
- mandated that all clubs in Bundesliga 1 and 2 have developmental academies and mandated the requirements for the academies.
And as soccer is the primary professional sport in Germany, it's well funded, a tradition and a national program to improve soccer was possible.

Worldwide in many countries clubs are not at all like American clubs. They offer members social activities, a sense of community, sources of fundraising and sports teams in a wide range of sports. In Sao Paulo, for example, sports clubs dominate the local communuities they serve and even the church you attend is often club centric and schedules services around club activities. It's a different world.

Many of the world's best soccer players have grown up playing neighborhood pickup soccer on very small pieces of land, the size of basketball courts, where they played Futbol Sala, Futebo Saleo, Futsal and other small court games by different names worldwide.

The advantage is low or almost no cost, the games are too fast for coaches and parents to spoil the action by yelling and according to Dr. Emilo Mirando, Professor of Futebol and Futsal at the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brasil "Players touch the ball 600% more and learn to play far faster than on the expanse of full size Futebol fields".

If we converted to clubs running bingo halls or other fundraising to raise money and then offering local skill clinics, online videos and online tutorial training to teach invasion game concepts and offered small size courts in every neighborhood for players to play up to ages 12 to 14, the cost for average players would drop dramatically and players would learn far faster.

Then we hold Futsal tournaments and not only pay referees for calling the game, but a cash bonus for identifying prospects for development. In Japan, Italy and other places without a lot of land in cities small sided Futsal is played on the top of department stores, on vancant lots, anywhere you could put a basketball court.

The best advantage of small sided games for children is they are so fast coaches and parents become spectators and cheer, players learn on their own by doing and then coaches take what they see and teach in practices. As John Wooten who won NCAA basketball National Championships 10 of 12 years said "Teaching players in practices was what coaching was all about to me"

Reply

Robert Kleemaier

10/20/2015 05:57:16 am

Hear, hear.

Reply

Daniel

10/20/2015 01:25:02 pm

I will just state something that may ring a bell. I'm a Youth coach with over 12 years experience developing top players at the ages U15-23, with over 35 players into Brazil & US National Team. Licenses from Uefa, Brazil, Fifa; majors and masters in Sport Management & Psychology and experience in 3 continents. Since 2010 I've been in US working with USSF Academy, trying to help develop champions, but since the soccer boom of 2011/12 business has taken over and not only USSF is lacking to impose efficient development rules to clubs, but also clubs directors and coaches does not have development as priority. The whole system is wrong from top to bottom, I have written many articles in the local media about it since 2010. Since 2010 teams have used my background and licenses but never allowed me to do my job properly. I have to listen things as "We are not in your level of professionalism" or "You need to train less because parents of other teams are complaining". The result of that is any "part time" coach with D license makes 3x more money than you, therefore In July I had to accept an invitation to work with 2 pro athletes from other sport, and now I'm happy and their are both top 10 in the world with less than 21 years old. That's how the soccer scenario is encouraging is US, I could write a book about it, but it would be about development and not business so It would be read by clubs and Federation.

I enjoyed your observations, especially your comment on "it would NOT be read".

Reminds me of a session years ago with some visiting coaches from Sao Paulo who were in the United States doing sessions for USSF Regional and Maryland ODP players and teams. They had an evening off so I invited them to do a session for a team I coached.

They arrived and started setting up cones. I stopped them saying I know everyone expects you to do exercises, but I can hire experienced former players for that. What I want, since your only available for one evening, is for every player to learn the Brazilian system of play, positions, rotations, etc. They ask for a white board.

It was 5 or 6 weeks later the Brazilian National team played and the team went. Sitting behind a row of American college and an ODP coach. The players shocked the coaches by knowing the position names, roles, movement patterns and why the system was being successful. And they were only 13 years of age.

Several years later 2 of the visiting coaches helped write a 400 page coaching text in Sao Paulo. Most of the American coaches who saw it asked where the drills were. If you read the book it taught how to create exercises and sessions that develop players. It was a how to text, not canned exercises.

My sense, with your emphasis on developing players, is you grew up playing Futsal in one of the many multi-sport clubs in Brasil and have been a staff coach with one or more of the clubs in Sao Paulo State, as well as some time in Europe and here in the United States. I also sense you have had some success applying psychology in coaching soccer. I know several hundred research studies have been published on the subject, but have been more focused on training to get players to capture what they see in games in their short term visual memory where the information can be used to make decisions. Sherlock Holmes described a lot of soccer players when he said "you see but you do not observe".

If you ever get to write that book on development let me know. Would like to buy one.

Robert Kleemaier

10/20/2015 03:27:33 pm

Put me on the list too, Daniel. This past season I implemented a simplified version of positional play based on the 3four3.com approach plus futsal training for the core group (it was a non-mandatory session... *sigh*). This core group made tremendous strides, but the kids who only showed up on grass were soon left behind in terms of development.

kimmy

10/22/2015 05:39:23 am

I never imagine that I would spend this much money to play soccer here in US. Last week, my 12 year old boy's team attended an out of state tournament, which cost about $500 including hotel/gas/meals. As you guys know, it is an extra, which is an additional to initial club/registration/coach/uniform fees. Amazingly, team coaches and managers are planning another out-of-state tournament next month, which wasn't originally planned. I do not know what they are really aiming, but I do not want to go. Not only because I can not afford it but because I do not see that more than 10 hours of drive with 3 days-off would be really necessary for development of the boys. Soccer here is for rich people.

Welcome to USSF where Youth Soccer mirrors many other youth sports here in the United States. Entry level expenses for most sports in most areas of the country are affordable, but when a player is recruited to fill out a competitive team that offers a higher level of training and competition, the cost and player commitment go up for everything including tournaments, travel, camps, clinics, coaches, trainers, technical directors, etc.

A common complaint in too many youth sports in the United States is that there are far too many tournaments, including too many that require overnight travel. In some cases a team's participation in tournaments is optional, but in a few clubs all teams participating in the same tournament as a club is mandatory.

There are some clubs and coaches who have found that the level of competition in local tournaments, while fun, doesn't help develop their better players and they know from experience that traveling to an overnight tournament better benefits their players. This is very common in areas outside of larger cities where there are far fewer teams and far fewer local tournaments. So the first question is do local tournaments in your area benefit the players more or less than away tournaments.

There are other clubs and coaches who have found that a local tournaments, while closer, is way over their teams level and that the players will only feel successful and benefit more from playing in an overnight tournament the same weekend. In comparing the local tournament options with the away tournament options on the same weekend, which most benefits the team your child plays on.

There are also other clubs and coaches who have found that playing selected local teams in scrimmages best benefits their team(s) without incurring the added expense of additional tournaments including away tournaments which also require time and travel expenses while away from home.

There are also some other clubs and coaches that discourage participation in or limit participation in out of town tournaments at the various age groups. For example no participation in out of town tournaments for teams U10 and younger, only 1 out of town tournament tournament per fall or spring season for U12 and younger teams.

There are also some clubs and coaches who encourage overnight tournaments, at almost all ages, because they want to brag and run recruiting ads about being invited to play in "elite tournaments" the next time they have tryouts for better players.

In many nations the local soccer program is offered, along with many other programs by their local community club which is sponsored by local businesses and local members. In some clubs there are 10's of thousands of members in the local community. These clubs offer low cost or free sports programs for their local community.

In the United States, far too few clubs encourage their teams to bring in local sponsors for their club website to help players who bring in ad revenue cover some of their participation expenses. There are also too few clubs that have successful fundraising programs that benefit players with scholarship programs. One local coccer club in the United States started a successful Bingo operation about 40 years ago and all players on assisted lunch programs at their schools are eligible for financial assistance in all sports offered by that club.

There are over 8,000 clubs in the United States that offer youth soccer programs. Many families join the local club in their neighborhood while others shop around to find the club and coach that offers the best program for their family.

In the United States the vast majority of players who reach skeletal maturity later in puberty are forced out of the U.S. Soccer Travel and ODP programs by a system and peer group obsessed with winning in the younger ages.

Johan Cruyff observed Pep was a smaller less physcial player who, like many other youth players went through puberty and developed skeletal maturity later. Cruyff also observed that Pep's greatest strenght was his eyes, he was a student of the game who saw everything.

Several research studies based on actual results at the professional level in Europe suggest that investing the time and effort to develop players who reach skeletal maturity later is the single best financial investment a club can make in developing players.

- In an 8 year study of over 1,000 elite junior athletes, the ones that made it to become the Top 100 Professional players all reached skeletal maturity at a later time during puberty.

- In a 7 year study of U14 soccer players playing on professional youth teams in Europe, 43.8% developed skeletal maturity early, 35.4% reached skeletal maturity with their age group and only 20.8% reached skeletal maturity later than their chronological age group. 6 year later, of the players who signed professional top-level contracts by the age of 20: only 11.8% reached skeletal maturity early, 28.1% reached skeletal maturity with their chronological age group and 60.1% reached skeletal maturity later in puberty.

The real problem may not be with our national team but that our youth system throws away the vast majority of youth talent who develop late but who would become the world's elite top-level professional players if they were nutured and encouraged.

Reply

Robert Kleemaier

11/9/2015 05:58:15 am

Currently reading "Das Reboot" by Raphael Honigstein. Everything you say & much more is confirmed by this terrific read. There is work to do on this side of the Pond, Jack.

Godaddy Australia bring a brand new give for you, You can find your internet hosting at merely 1 AUD With a free domains name, it is extremely good choice to get start your weblog & site. In this bundle you'll get not really simply a cost-free of charge website name, you'll get your Cpanle as your Control -panel, 100 GB Space & Unlimited Bandwidth. It really is definitely the best Web Hosting Technique for Every People.

good But with Apple different sideload characteristic, it can come to be mounted employing iOS App Signer, which is certainly rather convenient method. nice.

Reply

Pauly

11/16/2016 01:08:29 pm

I think you are using the first from the trees.

How is it that women's soccer is dominated by the USWNT and the men cannot even qualify? Are our women just that much better comparatively then the men?

The obvious reason lies within the NCAA title 9 rule. After all what would the NFL be without college football? All the same "club ball" variables exist in club football. Yet Americans dominate football.

Scratch the title 9 rule and you immediately increase your youth talent pool by 300%

Reply

Leroy Garcia

11/16/2016 05:10:13 pm

Yes, and also if the money for talented players would trickle down past US Soccer and MLS then Academies and Clubs could stop pay to play and work to receive money for talent they develop. My two cents....

Reply

Jack W

11/17/2016 10:42:29 am

Title IX was enacted to prohibit discrimination in hiring, admissions, courses and activities of educational institutions after Sandler, at the University of Maryland, fought to keep her job by providing statistics that proved women were systematically being replaced by men in most jobs at the school.

The USWNT has had great success because women, by their very nature, tend to play well for their team. U.S. Soccer benefits greatly by obtaining funds for their men's and youth from the USWNT, while paying the USWNT a fraction of what they pay the players on the US Men's teams.

In successful soccer playing nations the clubs who helped develop a player over their lifetime share in revenue generated when a star player's contract is sold. This trickle down effect of residual income pays for developing the next generations of elite athletes.

Sports in the United States are mostly amateur sports where players pay to play, pay to learn and usually don't get what they pay for. Most coaches are volunteers or former players who start coaching as a sideline after high school or college.

Most Coaches and Trainers in the United States have not been trained to teach, don't know how youth mature physically, lack an in depth insight into the game and according to research studies repeat the same exercises and teaching with every age group they work with, mostly based on what they learned growing up and not taking into account new research on what to teach, how to teach, alternative sources for teaching, etc.

While a few professional clubs in Europe and elsewhere use animations, videos, GPS tracking of players in games, interactive tutorials, soccer vision training, etc. because they do everything for profit; clubs and coaches in the United States take the amateur approach and do what has been unsuccessfully done for generations.

The USMNT reflects accurately what has been invested in the development of the players in the pool. In 2000 when Germany was embarrassed by their World Cup performance they looked beyond the national team coaching staff. Instead they studied what was necessary to become the best MNT in the world and created both an Academy system in the first two divisions of their professional league and a national scouting system to find the natural talent who were best qualified to be on these Academy teams.

To identify youth talent they trained PE teachers nationwide on how to teach invasion sport concepts (mostly soccer but the teaching is shared by sports that cross a midfield line like basketball, hockey, handball, lacrosse, water polo, etc.). Then they looked at their youth leagues and recruited 1,000 coaches to watch youth games looking for talent to nominate to the Academy programs. Wow, a real program so the MNT coaches would have the best possible player pool in the world.

Well the United States can take the easy way out, ignore what the best nations do, ignore the research documentation on what makes great players and fire the coach. Or they can learn what others do, how clubs train short and long term memory, teach pattern recognition, improve scan rate and decision making up to 600%, learn perfect focus exercises that improve skills instead of practicing so long players get bored and learn bad habits, etc.

The choice is hard work and research OR fire the coach and look for someone to blame the next time the MNT has a losing streak.

Your blog posts are more interesting and impressive. I think there are many people like and visit it regularly, including me. I actually appreciate your wonderful blog and I will be sure to come back here again to see such great post

Reply

Fred

10/29/2017 05:08:46 pm

I don't think Jugen Klinsman was even part of the problem. He was working with the quality of "raw material" he had available to him. if anything, i think he did the best possible job. as the failure to qualify shows, it really was a question of quality of the players he had at his disposal. it's not surprising, if you look at the fact that Dempsey was older, Jermain Jones was also older and wasn't even chosen etc. really the players JK had were all getting older. but, the way the players are being developed is really problematic, with that pay to play system, and clubs charging high fees for youths to play etc, this is a huge problem. we wouldn't be discussing these problems if the team had qualified for the WC. they'd have been swept under the rug, possibly like they've been the last ten years. so, in a way this failure was a bit of a blessing. the current system is rotten. but unfortunately as the writer points out, it seems theres so many interests now and misplaced motives at so many levels, including MLS that it might be a headache to solve these problems. even if the team qualifies, it will only continue to perpetuate a rotten structure. frankly, i've watched the US team now for 15 years and i can tell you i always feel like they're not really "legit." deep down i feel like something is still missing. and the qualifying groups for the WC also deceive folks. the US especially qualifies from a weaker and generous region for WC qualification. so, the fact that they didn't this time is perhaps even more telling for that reason.